The Billionaire's Dilemma

Emily's breath hitched as Julian closed the office door behind him, his sharp gaze locking onto her. The leather folder burned against her palm, hidden behind her back.

"You're awfully curious," he remarked, his voice low and unreadable as he strode toward his desk.

"I'm a journalist," she countered, forcing a calm she didn't feel. "Curiosity comes with the job."

His lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. "And here I thought we were building trust."

Emily hesitated. She could lie or she could push for answers. Squaring her shoulders, she held out the folder. "Project Arcturus. What is it, Julian?"

His expression darkened as he took the folder from her grasp, setting it aside with deliberate care. "That's none of your concern."

"If it involves Marcus, it's my concern," she argued. "He approved something Phase II. What is it?"

Julian stepped closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're in over your head, Emily. There are things happening in this company that you're not prepared for."

"I can handle it," she shot back, lifting her chin.

His jaw tightened, and for a fleeting moment, something flickered in his eyes concern. "Not everything is as black and white as you want it to be," he said quietly. "Marcus… he's not the man you think he is."

"Then tell me the truth," she demanded.

Julian exhaled slowly, as if weighing his next words carefully. "Project Arcturus was a private research initiative one Marcus spearheaded years ago. I shut it down when I discovered how far he was willing to go to protect our profits."

Her stomach twisted. "And now it's back?"

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "I thought I buried it but Marcus clearly has other plans."

The tension hung heavy between them as silence stretched. Emily's mind spun with questions. Why had Julian agreed to work with a man he clearly didn't trust? And what was Marcus hiding that Julian didn't want her to find?

"You want transparency," she pressed. "Prove it. Let me dig into Arcturus."

For a long moment, he said nothing then, without warning, he grabbed a key from his drawer and tossed it onto the desk.

"Third floor. Restricted archives," he said. "You have one hour."

Her heart pounded. "You're letting me in?"

"I want you to see the truth for yourself," he murmured, his gaze intense. "But, Emily… if you go down this path, there's no turning back."

Without another word, she snatched up the key and left his office, adrenaline coursing through her veins.

Whatever Project Arcturus was she was about to uncover it.

And nothing would be the same again.